The present invention relates to heat exchanger tube bundles and more particularly to a support system for securing the tubes of a tube bundle in spaced-apart relation.
Heat exchangers of the type contemplated by the present invention commonly include tube bundles with relatively large numbers of parallel tubes. Within such heat exchangers, a first heat exchanger fluid may be circulated internally through the tubes of the tube bundle while a second heat exchanger fluid is circulated through the tube bundle exteriorly of the tubes in order to accomplish heat exchange between the two fluids. It is necessary to secure the large numbers of tubes in the tube bundle in place in order to protect the tubes from vibration, earthquakes and the like as well as to support their own dead weight. At the same time, it is necessary to maintain the parallel tubes in spaced-apart relation in order to permit circulation of the heat exchanger fluid around the tubes. Many support systems have been employed for this purpose in the prior art. However, the systems have been relatively complex in order to provide proper support for the tubes. Also, many of these prior art tube support systems include structures that tend to obstruct or interfere with the flow of the heat exchanger fluid around the tubes in the tube bundle.
Accordingly, there has been found to remain a need for an improved support system for heat exchanger tube bundles capable of providing adequate support for securing and maintaining the tubes in spaced-apart relation while presenting a minimum profile in order to facilitate the circulation of a heat exchanger fluid about the tubes in the tube bundle.